Are newer homes better in a hurricane? (storm, most, sunny)

[debclark]

My family and I are planning to move to the Melbourne Beach area and we're wondering if it's better to look at homes that were built after Hurricane Andrew led to stricter building codes. Is a home built in the late 1990s going to fare better than an older (1960s-1980s) concrete block home?

Thank you for any advice.

[Sunnydee]

Originally Posted by debclark

My family and I are planning to move to the Melbourne Beach area and we're wondering if it's better to look at homes that were built after Hurricane Andrew led to stricter building codes. Is a home built in the late 1990s going to fare better than an older (1960s-1980s) concrete block home?

Thank you for any advice.

If you want to be really safe I'd look at homes built since 2004. The newer homes are built under stricter hurricane codes, so they are safer.

[FLBob]

When hurricane Charlie came through Punta Gorda I lived in one of the oldest homes on the river. It was built using huge beams (4x8 rough cut some were 30-40 foot long) The block work didn't have the first stress crack.
The roof came off, those huge beams flew and I found 1 in my neighbors front yard.
I realized early on that my house wasn't going to make it and were ran to a neighbors new house.
In the weeks and months that followed it became obvious that new homes, new building codes did much much much better than older homes.
Insurance companies noticed the success of newer structures in wind, rates are cheaper and the newer homes are easier to insure.
Older homes can be enhanced to meet some of the newer codes, and there are things you can do to help the issues with insurance.
If I were purchasing an older home here are some of the things I look for, or look to do after purchase.

New roof - using "peel and stick" membrane product.
Hurricane straps holding down the trusses - double if you can.
All window "bucks" tapconed into the block - Door jams too
Horizontal supports on all gable ends.
use construction adhesive to caulk truss to roofing plywood especially under the eaves.
storm shutters on all windows.

[d4g4m]

The biggest and most FL building code changes occurred in 1994
Roof trusses are strapped to walls in concrete poured lintels. Wall blocks are solid pour with rods every 8 feet. All corners are solid pour with rods. All roofs are hip. Gable can be added as decor. Garage door has steel brace on panels. Door frames use tapcon. There were more improvements in 98, 02, 06 Newer code now requires window panels or break resistant glass. The newer the house from 1994 the lower the insurance cost. House built before 1994, pay through the nose.
Manufactured/modular homes after 1998 can withstand 130 mph winds.

[cruxan]

i would just use some comon sence when looking at a new purchase of a house no matter how old or how new look to see how it;s been constructed if u are not consruction savy get someone who is to look at it. concreat and block houses are the strongest if thier built properly with reinfocing rebar and poured cores. if its a wood house check to see what size studing or beaming they used in the constuction of those particular homes that u are looking at. if its built out of 2 by 4s and mdf medeum dencedy fiber i would move on to the next house. good luck to u

[CJJ]

Originally Posted by Sunnydee

If you want to be really safe I'd look at homes built since 2004. The newer homes are built under stricter hurricane codes, so they are safer.

YEH i think new homes are better during hurricane!

[GloryB]

Then there are all the historic homes who have stood through decades of hurricanes. I guess you never can tell.

[tamcim72]

Newer homes will have lower hurricane insurance costs as well.

[TEKSRZ]

Has anyone tried foam seal in their roofs to prevent leaks? Floridafoamadhesive.com is what I'm referring to?

[DIABLO172]

I have relatives in FL, I'll have to ask them.